Alanna could hear the massive Grandfather Clock chiming in the living room; her daddy would be going to bed soon and she'd be able to sneak downstairs to wait for Santa Claus! She grabbed her polka dot blanket and held it wrapped it snuggly around herself. She muffled her gasp with her hand as her bare feet touched the cold, wood floor. She zig-zagged down the hallway, avoiding the creaks in the floor that she knew so well. (What seven year old wouldn't have those memorized?)

She crouched at the top of the stairs, peering through the railings at the huge fir that was positively gorgeous; mismatched colors, strings of lights, garland, tinsel, and a gazillion other ornaments that Alanna had picked out herself. Uncle Cody had laughed at the second he'd seen it-Alanna didn't speak to him for two days. She was proud of her tree. It was the first year that she'd decorated it herself.

"Ho Ho Ho!"

Alanna's heart raced at the voice that echoed throughout the downstairs. She'd spent the last four years anxiously waiting for Santa Claus but each year, she fell asleep before she could see him! She stopped herself from giggling, from doing anything that would alert Santa to her presence (after all, if she was a bad girl, he could take her presents away!)

Her face crinkled in a look of confusion. Santa was much skinnier then she'd ever seen in any books or on television or at the mall. Though, everyone knew that the man at the mall was just a fill in because of how busy Santa always was. Who else would boss the elves around? Or pack the sleigh? Or make sure the reindeer were flight ready? She'd given it a lot of thought and it only made sense that Santa had help. Maybe Mrs. Clause had put Santa on a diet…

"Santa, huh?"

There was her daddy, in his Frosty the Snowman pajamas that she'd gotten him last year (with the help of Cody.) She frowned. Randy should have shown Santa a bit more respect. After all, he'd always taught Alanna to respect her elder's and Santa was ancient! "In the flesh," came the smooth voice, a voice that was familiar. Blue eyes were sparkling brightly, just like the books said.

"You're on my naughty list. Tell me, Mr. Orton, have you been a bad, bad boy?"

Alanna almost protested. Her daddy was the best in the world. But she kept her quiet, watching.

"Define bad," one brow arched, looking more and more like the man on the TV screen.

"Have you done illegal activities?"

That grin that Uncle Teddy called the Viper. "The only sin I'm accused of is worshipping the one I love night after night after night. So if I've been bad boy, I think appropriate disciplinary action is called for."

Santa laughed, "Oh, I'll punish you later."

Alanna pursed her lips. Who did her daddy love other than her? Ever since her mommy had gone away, Randy was all alone. Alanna always sent the same letter, asking for the same thing for Christmas; someone for her father. He wouldn't have kept that from her…

"Cookies?" Randy held out the plate of misshapen sugar cookies. Alanna scowled. Her cookies were supposed to have been reindeer! Not giraffes.

Santa chuckled, "I guess I should be thankful that I'm loved for more than my dashing good looks."

"Yeah, you are," Randy smiled. It was a smile that Alanna never saw. It was like the one he always gave her but different too. It was like the one that her daddy used to give her mommy, until she left them.

What happened next nearly blew her seven year old mind.

Her eyes widened, staring in shock as her father and Santa KISSED!

This wasn't a kiss between friends. This was on the lips, gross cooties kind of kissing.

"Mr. Clause, you have my heart," Randy laughed.

"Well, Mrs. Clause, you have mine too. Merry Christmas," Santa said, but it wasn't Santa, because the hat was thrown off and underneath the white wig and fake beard was a very familiar face!

"UNCLE CODY?" Alanna screamed. "Daddy?"

"Fuck," Randy closed his eyes, "Alanna, baby, what are you doin' outta bed?"

"I wanted to see Santa. Daddy? Why were you kissing Uncle Cody?"

She didn't even care that this wasn't the real Santa. In fact, she wasn't even thinking about Santa anymore. Randy sighed, beckoning her downstairs, "Come on. I guess it's time to have the talk."

Alanna shuffled her feet awkwardly, knowing that she'd walked in on a moment that she shouldn't have. She might have been only seven but she wasn't stupid. "Am I in trouble?"

"No, pumpkin," Randy ruffled her hair, fingers messing with the bows securing her pigtails. "I should've been more considerate of you. I should've told you earlier but I didn't think you'd understand."

Alanna chewed her bottom lip thoughtfully, peering at the two with big blue eyes, "Is… Is Uncle Cody my new mommy?" Cody's face turned the same shade of red as his suit.

Randy laughed, "You could say that."

"I'm making cocoa!" Cody walked out of the room quickly.

"You're ok with it?"

Alanna nodded, "I was always told love doesn't see race, color, or gender," she said matter o factly, even though she honestly didn't know what that meant.

She snuggled against Randy's side, a long arm curling her close to him, as he turned on the TV, A Christmas Story playing in it's 24 hour rotation. The streetlamp was showcasing the snowflakes falling to the ground, like millions of little fairies fluttering their tiny wings. She smiled at Cody as he came back, hands full of steaming mugs of hot chocolate, hers piled with extra marshmallows. He sat on the other side of her, grabbing a blanket from off the back of the couch to drape across the three of them.

To see her father smile like that, this was what she'd been asking for every Christmas. And while she didn't understand one hundred percent, she knew this was the best gift. That nothing else could compare to the gift of family and love.

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